Violets and Roses
by Latest From The Asylum
Summary: She wasn't always so wicked. He wasn't always a cat, either. AU 'Part of Romanticism Movement'
1. First Kiss

**A/N:** This is a random idea I've had for a while, and I've finally gotten around to posting it. It's a rough draft, so there will probably be some spelling and grammar errors. It's a weird plot, I know, but I want to know if this is worth writing on about. So please, read and review, or this might end up as just another wacky oneshot... XD

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_Violets and Roses_

_Prologue_

_First Kiss_

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Some may think two in the morning was an odd hour for the king and queen's eldest daughter to be wandering the halls of Underland Castle. Young Iracebeth thought so too, but that didn't stop her from pacing back and forth down the same hallway as busy thoughts whirred through her head.

She attributed this to stress. It was expected that she had the entire Underland creed memorized to recite at the knighting the next morning. The creed of which she constantly forgot the last five lines too. Though, she wouldn't be alone in this, Mirana had to join her- despite the fact that she was three years younger than Ira at nine.

But she didn't count. She had already had the entire thing down pat, like everything else in their studies.

With a huff, she turned onto a nearby balcony. She threw her arms onto the thick stone railing, resting her chin on her folded hands as she looked over the sleeping courtyard below. Blue moonlight threw shadows across the neatly trimmed grass and flowers, but there was no menace to them. The only thing that stirred within the darkness was the warm breeze blowing in from the south, Ira knew that as a fact. If there was one thing she had over her sister, it was that she never let her imagination get the best of her- she ran on facts, not silly fairytales of magic and boogeymen.

That's why she nearly screamed when she felt something warm and slightly moist peck her on the cheek.

Her hand flew up the her face as she staggered back, looking for what would dare touch her like that.

"You'd think I'd be hurt with a reaction like that..." A voice chimed behind her, and she spun around to see a boy about her age. It took her a moment for her to come to this conclusion though, seeing as he was hanging upside down from one of the beams that where _supposed_ to only support flower vines.

He smirked when she didn't say anything right away, causing her to blush, "What did you expect? Me to kiss back?"

His smile widened as he pretended to ponder this fact, "Well... that would be nice."

"You're sick!" She gasped, her cheeks nearly as red as her hair.

The boy shrugged, or, whatever you call it upside-down, "I get that a lot."

And with that, he dissappeared, right before Ira's eyes.

For a moment, she just stood there, dumbfounded as she stared at the empty space the boy left behind.

"You impressed?" Again, he spoke behind her. She turned around to see him, thankfully, on his two feet. She had to admit, he didn't look as... weird rightside up as he did upside down. He had raven black hair that was messily hanging in his face, a shocking contrast to his blue-purple eyes.

She folded her arms, trying to pass off as just the opposite, "I've seen better."

Ira couldn't help but feel a little victorious when he actually looked surprised. His grin puckered into a pout, "Well, my dad says my evaporating abilities match no other."

"Well," Ira said grandly, flipping some of her red hair behind her shoulder, "I've been to the Underland magic towers, and they vanish all over the place."

His eyes lit up at the mention of the towers, "I know, and it's all the power of coincedence." He threw his shoulders back, as if to look bold, "Some miesters of Underland study for years there before ever making it here to the Red and White courts, but I'm already here!"

Ira relaxed a bit, knowing that at least the boy wasn't sneaking around illeagally, "You live here too?"

He nodded, "Yes, my father is one of the miester gaurds. We live over in the barraks, and..." His grin returned as he slipped back into his 'impressive' mode, "Someday, I'll be able to protect you, my princess."

She stood there, trying not to give him the satisfaction of letting him know she was a bit flattered, "Well, yes. You do that. But I'm afraid you can't be my miester knight if my current gaurds drag you away first."

He smiled, "But you haven't called them yet."

"I will."

"You won't."

They stared at eachother for a minute, and he eventually broke off, "Well, it's getting late..." He streatched his arms out in an exaggerated yawn, "It was nice bumping into you, you could say I'm honored."

"_Bump_ into me?" Ira scoffed, "You snuck up on me!"

"Eh, tomatos, tamatos..." He winked at her, "You looked a little lonely, that's all."

She rubbed her cheek, "You kissed me."

"Um..." he ducked his head down, but Ira could still see him blushing a bit, "Well... some of my friends... dared me."

"_Dared you?_" Ira gasped, her cheeks heating up again, "Who?"

"Just friends..." He looked back up at her, suddenly a little sheepish, "They said if you kissed me, they would give me their cherry tarts every day for a week. I'm sorry."

_He must really like tarts..._ Ira thought to herself. It didn't take much to see that her sister, Mirana, was the crown favorite. All the other kids wanted to play with her, not Ira. In fact, some of the noble kids made a point of avioding her.

So in retrospect, it didn't surprise her that she was an object of a bet. What did surprise her was that this boy actually followed through with it. "Well, I hope you get them then..." She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly, "What's your name?"

"Chessur." He chuckled, "So you won't kill me?"

Now it was her turn to keep him in suspence. She pretended to think about it, before finally saying, "No, I guess I won't kill you. Yet."

He dipped into a deep bow, his hair falling over his face, "Thank you, I'm ever in your debt."

They where both surprised when she giggled, "Well, maybe you would make a good knight after all."

He looked up, "Only if you dub me."

She picked a flower from a nearby vine, holding it's stem like a septer, "Maybe I will."

He beamed and got down on one knee. She put a hand on his head, bowing it, "I can't knight you if you keep giving me that goofy grin."

He obliged, and she held the flower over his head, "Sir Chessur," She began with the grandest voice she could muster, "Do you swear to the Underland creed that you'll remain loyal to both Red and White courts, and to never fall from duty until you breathe you last breath?"

"I do." He murmered, now holding a single hand over his heart.

She smiled, and tapped his right shoulder with the flower stem, "Do you promise to be honest, to put the needs of others before your own?"

"I do."

She tapped his left shoulder, "And that you will forever respect those of royal blood, so that we in turn may respect you?"

He lifted his head, meeting her eyes, "I do."

She smiled, and tapped the top of his head again, "Consider yourself officially knighted, then."

He stood, and Ira became aware that he was just a smidgen taller than she was, "Well, that was quick."

"That was the abridged version." She sighed, "I couldn't deliver it in full to save my life. That's what my sister's for."

"Well," He pulled her into a hug, "I personally like this version better. Less boring."

She hugged him back, "Thanks."

He pulled away, and scooted himself onto the marble railing, "Is alright for your new knight to retire to his quarters now?"

Ira stifled a yawn, "Only if it's okay for your princess to sleep as well."

Once again, a girn, "Of course."

He vanished again, and she remained still for a moment, waiting to see if he'll reappear again. When he didn't, she sighed, and trudged off to bed. She slipped through the door, and paused for a moment, watching Mirana sleep the night away peacefully. _What I wouldn't give..._ she slipped off her slippers and tucked herself into bed. But as her head hit the pillow, she was able to smile.

She didn't have to worry about the knighting tomorrow, for like her sister, she had it down pat.


	2. Almost not love of his life

"_The mister order is-"_

_Thwump!_

"_-by far the most respectable and famed league of-"_

_Slam!_

"_-wizards to ever walk the grounds of-"_

_Crash!_

"_-Underland."_

Chessur slammed his book shut, glaring up at the jittery boy who was currently burning his way through one of the library's book carts. He was about to say something, but instead he ducked his head, just barely avoiding a rather heavy looking copy of _The Queenpendium_ that flew by his head.

He held up his book as a shield with one hand, and grabbed his friend's arm with the other, "Tarrant… you've got to do something about him."

The pale red-headed boy looked up from his pile of books, appearing slightly annoyed that Chessur disrupted his studying. He glanced at the boy and the cart, and then back at Chessur, "What am I supposed to do? Throw the books back?"

"No-" Chessur hissed, dodging a thin booklet that whizzed between him and Tarrant, "Just tell him to stop- you're the only one he listens to."

Tarrant snorted, "Yeah, right."

But after a long hard look from Chessur, he sighed and addressed the boy at the cart, "Hey, Thackery, can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to study."

Thackery froze, and turned around to face the two. His wide amber eyes twitched slightly when he met gazes with Tarrant, "B-but I'm looking for a b-book."

Tarrant gave him a hesitant smile, picking up one of the many books in his reading pile and holding it out to him, "Here. Read this."

Thackery eyed the book for a second before snatching it away from Tarrant. He plopped down across from him, and began flipping through the pages, appearing satisfied… even though he was reading it upside-down.

Chessur sighed, setting his book back down on the table, "How can you stand to keep him around Tarrant?"

He shrugged and smiled, "He's really nice if you bother to get to know him. And besides, he keeps things… interesting."

"I believe one of your books would call that an understatement." Chessur sighed, looking at his own pile, "What I should really be asking is how you can _enjoy_ just sitting in the library like this."

"Well, I'm studying what I love. I think that's enough of an explanation." Tarrant pursed his lips, picking up one of Chessur's books and reading the title, "_Basic Combat?_ That doesn't sound Miester."

"Yeah, I know." Chessur frowned, "Malloree is under the strange notion that we're relying to heavily on magic, so he's running us through a couple weeks of training with the apprentice knights."

"Well, he was right about you wusses being _weak_." Chessur felt a boney hand clamp on his shoulder, its tightening grip sending a warning shiver down his spine. _Stain. _"This twig couldn't even lift a proper blade when they began."

Chessur made his best effort to appear impassive, but his fingers betrayed him with their constant twitching. He glared up at the lanky knight-to-be, "What are you doing in the library, jackass? I thought you couldn't read."

"Well, I couldn't miss out on visiting my favorite trio of lunatics. Don't you agree, carrot-top?"

"It's High-top." Tarrant muttered, not looking up from his books.

"Sure, carrot-top." Tarrant went rigid when Stain mussed his hair, "Where's you hat? I thought you two where engaged?"

Tarrant scowled into the pages, a glint of warning amber flashing in his eyes. Seeing this, Stain laughed, backing off, "Try checking the east pavilion rooftop, pasty."

During this, Chessur was determinedly staring at a picture of a man getting speared, wishing that his vanishing abilities where allowed outside of the classroom. But alas, they weren't, and Stain moved onto his next victim, "So, _kitty_, I was wondering if you where needing a few pointers for combat class next period."

Chessur slowly moved his hands from the table top, tucking them in his lap in hopes Stain wouldn't notice how tightly they where clenched. This was strange, for it was normally Tarrant who was the violent one. It was probably that ridiculous nickname that put him on edge. It wasn't that he hated cats or anything—in fact, they where his favorite creature—but that nickname was reserved to be used by only one person, and it really pissed him off that Stain caught wind of it. _If he says one more word I swear to God I will-_

"The back gardens look like a lovely place to train." Stain continued, "In fact, I hear Ira might be there. I'm sure she'd love to see what I have to teach you."

Chessur shot up from his chair and made a grab at Stain's collar, but he missed, and soon the taller boy had him halfway up a wall, feet dangling uselessly in the air. "I guess here works, too."

Before Chessur had a chance to squeeze in any witty remarks, he was seeing stars. He hit the ground with a hard _thud_, his eye quickly puffing up as he listened to Stain walking off, laughing. Tarrant was at his side immediately, helping him up while Thackery, having now been given a viable reason to be wound up, was barreling around in the background, books once again a fly. _Now how did this kid get in here again?_

"What the hell where you thinking, Chessur?" Through his one good eye, Chessur could see his friend's eyes blazing gold, "You know as well as I do that you can't take a figgle worm on without magic, let alone Stain."

"Well he _is_ an invertebrate." Chessur hissed, pulling away from Tarrant. He sighed, meeting his friend's now softening eyes, "I just got carried away, alright? Just give me some alone time and I'll be fine. Besides…" he nodded towards Thackery, who was currently harassing a group of library hands, "I think he's the one you should be worried about, not me."

"Well, if you say so…" Tarrant nodded, "Go ahead. I'll see you next passing period."

Chessur smiled, "Thanks."

He ducked out of the library, just barely avoiding the latest barrage of airborne literature Thackery had unleashed. He hurried down the halls, head ducked so that his long black hair would curtain the badge of shame that Stain had awarded him with. It was enough to be humiliated in front of the few friends he had, he wasn't about to let the whole world see what had happened. He turned out the open set of double doors out into the royal gardens, quickly finding and climbing up his favorite tree under the princess's balcony. He figured that this pre-determined place would be the last place Stain would go if he where looking for a second beating. And going by that logic, since Stain had said Ira would be here, she most likely was on the other side of the castle.

She had to be the last person that he wanted to see right now.

So naturally, she happened to wander right underneath his branch, quickly catching sight of him. "Chessur!"

Chessur froze, half hoping she might wander away if he didn't do anything. But instead, she tugged on his foot, calling his name again. He sighed, grabbed a branch, and holding it over the side of his face, looked down at her. His heart leapt to his throat. She was wearing her favorite 'school girl' outfit—a white blouse with a form-fitting crimson sweater vest that had a black heart stitched onto it, along with a generously short red skirt with knee-high white stockings. Her bright hair was pulled back with a black ribbon, and when the wind blew, he could catch the scent of her perfume—_Roses._

He swallowed, forcing a smile, "Hey."

She frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Chessur shifted his weight on the branch, making sure to keep his eye covered.

"Lies." Ira crossed her arms, "You're hanging around in that damn tree, and you only do that when you're brooding or trying to hide from Stain. Which one is it today?"

Chessur stared down at her for a long moment, and eventually dropped the branch, revealing his eye. Ira's frown grew, "Stain then?"

He nodded, "He caught me in the library. Called me, 'kitty'."

"You're kidding." A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "He seriously used my nickname for you?"

"Uh… yeah…" Chessur looked away, face heating up.

A full smile brightened her face, "Come on down. You won't get any better hiding up there."

Chessur was hesitant, but eventually he slid off his branch. No matter how embarrassed he was, he couldn't turn Ira down. With that smile, she could have asked him to throw himself into a pit of barbs and he would have done it gladly. There where a few awkward seconds where he stood in front of her, trying to make it look like he hadn't just been hiding like a little kid, and that his eye didn't hurt like hell.

Ira shrugged her shoulder bag off, setting it down at the foot of the tree, and then she looked back up at Chessur, "Sit down."

He did so, and he watched as she began digging in her bag, and eventually she pulled out her lunch box. Chessur gave her an incredulous look as she pulled out a thermos, "You carry healing potions around with you?"

"No, that's my sister. Now hold still." Before he could ask, she held the thermos to his eye. To his shame, he winced when the cold metal pressed against his eye. She scooted closer to him, and he was overly aware of her arm brushing against his, and he had to resist the urge to grab her hand. _We're friends. We're only friends. _But no matter how many times he repeated this, he kept feeling… too close. _She'll never see me as that… she won't. She can't. It's time for you to move on Chessur, it's not like all the other girls won't go out with you…_

She shifted slightly over him, moving the thermos to another sore patch. He could feel her stomach touch lightly against his chest, and almost on its own, his hand flew up, grabbing the thermos and her hand. She looked down at him, looking a little taken aback. Her face was just inches away, and he knew if her where to lean up just a bit…

"I think I'm fine. Besides, it won't do much before classes, and you need a cold drink." He gave her a half-hearted smile, his heart beating so hard against his ribs that he was surprised she couldn't feel it.

Or maybe she did.

"Oh. I see." She sat back, tucking her drink back into the box, and the box back into the bag, "It starts soon, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

They stared at each other for another long moment, until she finally got up, brushing dirt from her knees, "Well, I better be going as well." She smiled, but it didn't have the brilliance as the one from before, "Be seeing you, kitty."

"You too, princess." His heart sank as he watched her walk away. _Chessur you idiot._ He suddenly didn't have the strength to get back onto his feet, and decided that he would just skip his next class anyway. He didn't need Stain pouring any lemon juice on his cut up heart during Combat class, anyway. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the bark of the tree, cursing.

His father had always said that the teenage years would be where he would make the most mistakes.

And here he was, not a day past fifteen, and had already royally screwed everything over with his almost-not-love-of-his-life.


End file.
